I came into medical school several years removed from my undergraduate studies, which made for a difficult adjustment to the curriculum. With the help of Dr. Minutello, I was able to develop several useful skills throughout my first year including more efficient note-taking and active content recall techniques. All the while, I always felt supported, even through my own self-doubts. I'm extremely thankful for the academic support that Tufts has given me!
I am so grateful for the academic support I received from TUSM during my Step 1 Dedicated period. I spoke to Brenna about my weekly planning and progress and spoke to Dr. Minutello about mindset and confidence. They were both so kind and thoughtful with their advice and it was truly personalized to what I needed. Being intentional about improving my academic confidence with the help of Dr. Minutello and Brenna definitely set me up for success stepping into my third year clerkships!
Brenna was immensely supportive in helping me form a study schedule for Step 1. She made me aware of all of the available study resources and walked me step by step through an individualized study plan that outlined what my day-to-day during Dedicated would look like and addressed content areas where I felt weakest. When I felt I was struggling to get a hang of things, she was able to sit down and help me make specific changes in test-taking strategies that helped boost my confidence going into test day. And when a snowstorm the morning of my test caused a cancellation and rescheduling fiasco, she was definitely there for emotional support as well!
Working with Dr. Minutello was pivotal in transforming me into the best version of a student I can be. His support, knowledge, and encouragement helped me overcome initial test-taking challenges and set the foundation for sustained growth and success in my new Doctor of Physical Therapy career. Navigating through the rigors of academic life can be challenging. However, having a strong academic support team can make a significant difference. My journey through higher education was greatly enhanced by the assistance provided by my academic support team.
I began working with the academic support department after my first exam of medical school and chose to meet with Dr. Minutello at least once a month for my entire M1 year. He helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses when it came to study strategies, leading me to academic success. I now work as a peer educator within the academic support department and find significant fulfillment tutoring M1 students throughout their pre-clinical coursework.
TUSM's academic support team was instrumental in helping me gain confidence and skills as a test taker. During the Step 1 dedicated study period, Brenna met with me nearly weekly to review practice exams, build a study schedule, and help me focus my efforts on high yield topics. She also gave me valuable tips to work through questions more quickly, which has always been a challenge for me. With her help, I was able to achieve my goal score for Step 2. My only regret is not engaging with the services sooner!
Dr. Minutello and Hazel have provided invaluable support, teaching me effective pre-exam and pre-practical exercises for success. A standout moment was discussing my academic struggles with them, receiving affirming and personalized advice. Dr. Minutello's words, now on a Post-It at my desk, inspire me daily. These experiences are reshaping my mindset, empowering me to excel in my DPT program and future career.
As an MBS student, I wanted to make sure that I not only excelled in my classes but found better time management strategies and study habits that I can use for future success in medical school. Working with Dr. Minutello as early as the first week, I appreciated the time he took to help me find the strategies and skills that worked best for me, which ultimately led to a successful year.
I took two years off after graduating college, so medical school was a tough academic transition. I started working with Dr. Minutello during my first year at Tufts. He helped me find efficient and individualized study strategies. His constant guidance and support helped me succeed in the preclinical years (and all the shelf exams of third year too!). I gained insight into how I learn best, which is valuable information that I will continue to use throughout residency. Getting to know Dr. Minutello was a highlight of my medical school experience!
I do not think I would have made it this far in my medical school journey or have been as successful without the support from Brenna and the academic support staff at Tufts. I deeply appreciate the time that she has spent with me to hone my study strategy skills, create study schedules, individualize study plans and select resources that will best suit my learning style. I think what also makes my experience so special is the emotional support that she has provided throughout dedicated for STEP 1 and now for my 3rd year shelf exams. This support has allowed my confidence to grow as both a student academically and as a future physician to know how and when to ask for help and adapt different techniques to be the best student and future provider that I can be.
Brenna helped me develop realistic goals and stick to my study timeline that we set. As medical students we have become experts at taking tests, but we are also competing with other test-taking experts. Brenna's guidance helped me to feel as though I could do well even in a pool of other medical students. I struggled with my shelf scores, but Brenna had robust resources she referenced and helped me to identify which resources would work best for me.